Fertility Scans · Ovarian Reserve

Antral Follicle Count (AFC) Scan in London

A single early-cycle ultrasound counting the small resting follicles in both ovaries — one of the standard markers of ovarian reserve, and one of the first numbers a fertility clinic will ask you for.

  • One 30-minute appointment — no series required
  • Best performed in the first few days of your cycle
  • Findings at the scan; written report usually within two hours
  • No GP referral required — self-refer today
  • Reported in the format fertility clinics expect
£159single appointment · report and images included, no hidden fees
Book Your AFC Scan
Call 0203 051 6506

CQC-registered clinic · Provider ID 1-2775844974 · HCPC-registered sonographers

1Appointment · Early Cycle
£159Fixed Fee · No Hidden Extras
2–10mmResting Follicles Counted
4.9 ★476 Google Reviews
What It Is

What does an AFC scan measure?

Antral follicles are the small resting follicles — roughly 2 to 10 millimetres — visible in the ovaries at the start of a cycle, each holding an immature egg. A transvaginal ultrasound early in your cycle counts them in both ovaries, and that count is one of the two standard markers of ovarian reserve.

The other is AMH, a blood test arranged through your GP or fertility clinic. The two are used together: AFC is what ultrasound contributes, AMH is what bloods contribute, and a fertility unit will typically want both before advising on treatment.

Unlike follicle tracking, this is a single appointment. It is a snapshot of what is in reserve — not a monitored cycle.

Indications

Why might I need an AFC scan?

The count matters most as a planning number. It estimates how many eggs remain and, more usefully, predicts how your ovaries would respond to IVF stimulation — which is why clinics ask for it early rather than late.

It is also a reasonable baseline if you are weighing up timing. Someone in their late thirties deciding whether to try now, freeze eggs, or wait is making a decision that a reserve marker genuinely informs — where a great many other tests would not.

Transvaginal ultrasound examination used to count antral follicles at IUS London

Common reasons to book

  • Your fertility clinic has asked for an antral follicle count
  • You are considering IVF and want to know likely response to stimulation
  • You are weighing up egg freezing
  • You are over 35 and want a baseline before deciding on timing
  • Your periods have become shorter or less predictable
  • You have had ovarian surgery or treatment affecting the ovaries
What we assess and report

  • Antral follicles counted in each ovary separately, and combined
  • Ovarian volume
  • Ovarian appearance, including a polycystic pattern
  • The womb and its lining
  • Any cyst or finding that needs explaining
  • A report written for a fertility unit to act on
A reserve marker is not a verdict

A lower count does not mean pregnancy is impossible, and a generous one guarantees nothing. AFC estimates quantity and likely IVF response — it does not measure egg quality, and it does not predict your chance of conceiving naturally this month. Decisions about treatment belong with your GP or fertility specialist, reading this alongside your history and blood tests.

Suitability

Is an AFC scan suitable for me?

An AFC scan is a good fit if any of these sound like you:

  • ✓A fertility clinic has requested an antral follicle count
  • ✓You are considering IVF, ICSI or egg freezing
  • ✓You want a baseline before deciding whether to try now or later
  • ✓You are over 35 and planning ahead rather than reacting
  • ✓You have a family history of early menopause
  • ✓You want the ultrasound half of a reserve assessment done quickly

And when it is not the right booking

You want to know when you ovulate — that is follicle tracking, a series across one cycle, not a single count.

You want egg quality assessed — no scan or blood test measures it. AFC counts, it does not grade.

You need AMH as well — that is a blood test through your GP or fertility clinic. We do not offer blood tests, and we will say so before you book.

Book your AFC scan — £159Not sure? Call 0203 051 6506

If an AFC is not the right test for you, we will say so before you book — not after.

Your Appointment

What to expect at your AFC appointment

  1. 1
    Book for the first few days of your cycleDays 2 to 5 are ideal, when the ovaries are quiet and the resting follicles are easiest to count accurately. Tell us where you are in your cycle and we will time it.
  2. 2
    Arrive — no preparation neededNo fasting. For a transvaginal scan the bladder should be empty; we confirm the detail when you book. The appointment is 30 minutes.
  3. 3
    The scanA transvaginal scan gives the resolution this count needs. A transabdominal approach is available if you prefer, though small follicles are harder to resolve that way. A female chaperone is present during intimate scans.
  4. 4
    Counting both ovariesEach ovary is examined systematically and its follicles counted separately, with ovarian volume measured. The womb and lining are assessed in the same appointment.
  5. 5
    Explained on screenYou see the count as it is made and what it means in context — your age, your plans, and what a fertility unit would do with it.
  6. 6
    Your reportUsually with you within two hours, with counts per ovary and combined, in the format fertility clinics expect.
The count is only as good as the timing. Done in the first days of a cycle it is a clean measurement; done mid-cycle, a growing dominant follicle distorts what you are counting.
Clinical Education

Understanding ovarian reserve

What the number is, what it is used for, and where it stops.

What the count represents

The antral follicles visible at the start of a cycle are the pool available to that cycle — a proxy for the wider reserve remaining. It is an estimate of quantity, drawn from what can be seen today.

Why clinics ask for it

Response to IVF stimulation tracks reasonably well with antral follicle count. A clinic uses it to anticipate how many eggs a stimulated cycle might yield, and to choose a protocol accordingly.

What it cannot tell you

Nothing about egg quality, which is the factor most closely tied to age and to miscarriage risk — and which no test currently measures. A count is a planning input, not a prognosis.

Your Results

What an AFC can — and cannot — tell you

A count in the expected range for your ageReassuring about quantity and about likely response to stimulation. It does not guarantee conception, and it does not remove the value of acting on a timetable if you are in your late thirties.

A count lower than expectedA planning signal rather than a verdict. Many people with a low count conceive naturally, and a fertility clinic will read it alongside AMH, your age and your history before advising anything.

A high count with a polycystic pattern, or another findingMany small follicles arranged around the edge of the ovary can indicate a polycystic pattern, which affects how a stimulated cycle is managed. Cysts and other findings are described and, where needed, referred on with the report written for your GP or clinic.

Counts vary between operators and between cycles. A single number should be read as an estimate rather than a fixed value, and clinics band them broadly rather than treating small differences as meaningful. Our guide to ultrasound for ovarian reserve explains how the count fits alongside AMH.

Know where you stand

One early-cycle appointment, both ovaries counted properly, explained on screen as we scan — with a report your fertility clinic can use the same day.

Book Your AFC Scan — £159Call 0203 051 6506
From Our Practice

How we run an AFC

Timed to your cycle

Counts are only clean in the first days of a cycle. We book you for the right window rather than the next free slot.

Counted per ovary, not lumped

Each ovary reported separately and combined, with ovarian volume — the detail a fertility unit expects to see.

Scanned by the person reporting it

The sonographer who scans you writes your report. Nothing is passed to a remote reader.

Straight about what it means

A count is a planning number. We will not dress it up as a prediction of whether you will conceive.

FAQs

AFC scans — your questions answered

When in my cycle should I have an AFC scan?
Days 2 to 5 are ideal, counting day one as the first day of full flow. Early in the cycle the ovaries are quiet and the resting follicles are easiest to count accurately. Later in the cycle a growing dominant follicle distorts the picture.
Is it a transvaginal scan?
Usually, yes — small follicles of 2 to 10 mm need the resolution a transvaginal scan gives. A transabdominal approach is available if you prefer, though the count is less reliable that way. A female chaperone is present during intimate scans and you can stop at any point.
What is a good antral follicle count?
Counts vary widely between individuals of the same age, and clinics band them broadly rather than using a single cut-off. What matters is your count read against your age, your cycle pattern and your plans — which is how the report presents it.
Does a low count mean I cannot conceive naturally?
No. Reserve markers estimate egg quantity and likely response to IVF stimulation. They do not measure quality, and they do not predict any given month’s natural chance. A low count with regular ovulation is a planning signal, not a verdict.
Do I need AMH as well?
Fertility clinics generally want both, because they measure reserve in different ways. AMH is a blood test through your GP or fertility clinic — we do not offer blood tests, only the ultrasound half.
How is this different from follicle tracking?
An AFC is one appointment early in the cycle counting resting follicles. Follicle tracking is a series of two to four scans across a cycle following one dominant follicle to ovulation. They answer different questions — reserve versus timing.
Will the count be the same if I repeat it?
Not exactly. Counts vary between cycles and between operators, which is why they are interpreted in bands rather than as fixed values. A meaningful change is a shift across bands, not a follicle or two.
Can I have an AFC if I have PCOS?
Yes, and the count is usually high — many small follicles arranged around the edge of the ovary. That is useful information, because it affects how a stimulated cycle would be managed and carries its own risks the clinic will plan around.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book directly, and the report is written so a fertility clinic can use it without repeating the scan.
How quickly will I get my report?
Findings are explained on screen during the appointment, and the written report is usually with you within two hours.
Related Services

Other fertility scans we offer

Cycle MonitoringFollicle Tracking Scan

Two to four scans across one cycle — ovulation timed, not estimated.

See the scan →
PelvicPelvic Ultrasound Scan

Womb, lining and ovaries assessed in full — the structural baseline.

See the scan →
FertilityAll Fertility Scans

The full range of fertility ultrasound we offer.

See scans →

Further reading: ultrasound for ovarian reserve and trying to conceive after 35.

Location

Where can you get an AFC scan in London?

Our clinic is at 5a Lucerne Mews, Kensington, London W8 4ED — a quiet mews three minutes on foot from Notting Hill Gate, serving Kensington, Notting Hill, Holland Park, Bayswater and central London.

Because the count is best taken in the first days of a cycle, we hold early-cycle slots at short notice. Call 0203 051 6506 and tell us which day you are on.

Getting here

By tube: Notting Hill Gate — three minutes’ walk.

By bus: Routes along Notting Hill Gate and Kensington Church Street stop nearby.

By car: On-street parking nearby — full options in directions & parking.

Book Your Scan

The number your clinic will ask for

Both ovaries counted properly in one early-cycle appointment, with ovarian volume and a full pelvic assessment — explained on screen as we scan, reported in the format a fertility unit expects.

Book Online0203 051 6506
£159
AFC scan · 30 minutes

Book Now

5a Lucerne Mews
Kensington, London W8 4ED
3 mins from Notting Hill Gate
CQC Registered
HCPC Sonographers
No GP Referral Needed
Report Within 2 Hours
No Radiation

Written and clinically reviewed by the HCPC-registered sonographers who perform this scan at IUS London — a CQC-registered diagnostic ultrasound clinic (Provider ID 1-2775844974). Your own findings are explained to you at the scan and set out in your report.

Author: Yianni Kiromitis, Senior Sonographer, HCPC RA38415 — over 20 years’ experience in NHS and private ultrasound · Reviewed 10 August 2026